Lincoln High graduate crosses country on bike for cause

Lincoln High School graduate part of Bike the US for MS

This summer, Eric Vander Lee spends most days traveling 70 miles on his bicycle, but it's his time off the road that's having the biggest impact.

Vander Lee, a Lincoln High School graduate, is one of 20 participants in a cross-country trip, Bike the US for MS, which raises funds for researching multiple sclerosis and also provides volunteer opportunities.

"We raise a dollar for every mile, and it's 4,295 miles," says Vander Lee, who is majoring in nursing and Spanish at Augustana College.

Proceeds from this year's travels will support research and treatment and fund home modification projects across the United States. Volunteer efforts have included activities such as a home landscaping project for a woman with multiple sclerosis and serving lunch to people living with MS in a congregate facility.

Vander Lee decided to travel cross-country when he heard of people on a similar trip, but he wanted to do it for a cause. He researched several possibilities and settled on Bike the US for MS because of its volunteer opportunities.

"I felt like I was most oriented with what they were trying to accomplish," he says.

Family members, including his father Jerry Vander Lee of Sioux Falls and Terri Vander Lee of Minneapolis, supported his trip both financially and emotionally, he says.

"This has been a fantastic trip," Vander Lee says. "It's definitely life changing for everyone. The team is incredible, like-minded adventurous people. I have a new respect for how large the country is, and the interaction we've had with MS patients has opened up my mind."

Vander Lee paused halfway through his trip, which will end Aug. 4 in Bar Harbor, Wash., to answer five questions.

1. Have you done anything like this on a bicycle before?

"It's never been anything on this level. I would just bike for fun on the bike trails here in Sioux Falls. I got interested in it when I was working in the Black Hills last summer. I was a groundskeeper at a camp, and I spent a lot of time on the Mickelson Trail."

2. What are you riding?

"I started on a Trek, a hybrid bike, that I rode through Cleveland and realized it wasn't the right bike for the trip. So I bought a Bianchi, a road bike. It's designed for this kind of trip, coast to coast. I did 1,000 miles on the first bike, but it was a very good idea to make the purchase and get the right bike. You get flats, spokes break, and all sorts of weird challenges come up that I wouldn't have anticipated."

3. Do you ride as a group?

"There are 24 of us, four route leaders and 20 riders. We ride at our own pace most of the time. It's kind of interesting, you kind of find your group that you ride with. We all get along really well. There are rest stops every 20 miles, so you can ride alone but every 20 miles you'll meet up with the group again. The benefit of riding with other people is that if you have an issue, you're not stuck."

4. Has the weather presented a challenge?

"A couple of thunderstorm fronts have come through, and occasionally I've had to leapfrog from barn to barn. In the middle of Indiana, big rain clouds would come over, and I could ride through that, then it started lightning so I would hide under a barn. People have been very, very kind. At times it was coming down hard, and they would invite me into their home. Every night we campout so we have a little cubby in our trailer that we fill with our tent, clothes and sleeping bags. Frequently people will allow us to sleep on their lawn or churches open their doors. It's incredible to see people's kindness."

5. Do you have a personal connection with MS?

"I don't have any family members with MS, but I've had a couple experiences growing up. In school I've learned about it on the academic side; this trip has shown me the person side, how it affects people's lives. We've heard so many stories from people, and it's turned into something bigger than I ever imagined. I have no regrets. It's been fantastic."